Prep softball: Abigail Fletcher clutch pinch hit proves difference in Oregon’s win over Genoa-Kingston

GENOA – Outside of a seven-run explosion in the second, Oregon could only manage one run against a persistently attacking Genoa-Kingston offense gradually clawing its way back into the game.

The two-out, pinch-hit single by Abigail Fletcher in the top of the fifth turned out to be the difference in the Hawks’ 8-7 win over the Cogs on Tuesday in a Big Northern Conference battle.

[ Photos: Oregon softball travels to Genoa to take on the Cogs of Genoa-Kingston High School ]

“I’m really just trying to hit the ball,” Fletcher said. “I just think to myself, especially this game, that I need to just hunt low, foul off a bunch of pitches and make sure I had good contact.”

Fletcher came in to bat for freshman starting pitcher Brooke Halverson, who later re-entered the game and pitched into the bottom of the sixth. With a runner at third and two outs, Fletcher singled into right field off Genoa-Kingston reliever Lizzie Davis, scoring Abree Baker from third.

At the time, it put the Hawks (6-5, 2-1 BNC) ahead 8-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

“We’re like ‘Hey, be ready when you’re called,” Oregon coach Nate Rogers said. “She’s a senior and she’s done a great job starting for us and coming off the bench. She’s a great kid, and you tell a senior, ‘Hey, we need you to come off the bench. And she’s the loudest one on the bench cheering for everyone, she comes in ready to go like a professional and ropes a base hit in a clutch spot. You have to give her props for being a good team player.”

The Cogs (6-3, 1-1) began their comeback in the bottom of the frame. Olivia Vasak and Kiki Mitchell singled to start things off, then Lily Provost’s one-out single scored Vasak. A sacrifice fly by Faith Thompson brought around Mitchell before Halverson shut the door on the Cogs.

In the bottom of the sixth, Reagan Tomlinson started things off with a single to chase Halverson and bring in regular Oregon starter Emma Schlichtmann. Tomlinson scored on a groundout by Emily Trzynka. With two outs Vasak singled and reached second on an error, scoring on a single by Mitchell to cut the score to 8-7.

Davis pitched out of a two-out jam after a double by Halverson, who had struck out in her first two at-bats before Fletcher came in for her, and a single by Ella Dannhorn.

Provost singled to start the bottom of the seventh, then Thompson took her spot after a force out. After a walk to Tomlinson and a quick steal, there were runners at second and third for Kileigh Peters, but she popped up to second to end the game.

“Holy smokes man. I was just sitting on the bench praying,” Rogers said. “Emma’s just been very composed all year. We wanted to give her a little rest tonight because she’s been carrying the load for us. Our freshman pitcher started and did great. We told Emma she needed to close the door and she did. She did great.”

The Cogs struck first, pushing across a run after a two-out single by Mitchell and a triple by Davis. But the Hawks put up seven in the top of the second, benefiting from three crucial G-K errors that led to five unearned runs.

Even without the errors the Hawks were getting good swings off starter Mitchell. Schlichtmann launched a two-run double off the base of the fence in left to start the scoring, then Dannhorn doubled off the fence in left as well. Gracen Pitts and Olivia Paul added doubles off the top of the outfield fence, with Paul’s run-scoring blast welcoming Davis into the game after the Hawks chased Mitchell.

Davis allowed just one run, unearned, and six hits in 5 1/3 innings of relief. Mitchell allowed two earned runs and six hits in 1 2/3 innings.

“I just think in the circle we were struggling to hit our spots a little bit,” Genoa-Kingston coach Erica Swan said. “We were keeping the ball up a little too much, and they’re a great hitting team. You can’t keep the ball up on a great hitting team, you have to make sure you’re hitting your spots and change the level. ... And defensively when we got out of our head and stopped trying to play perfect or whatever we started to show what we are made of and what we can do.”

Oregon outhit G-K 12-11. Paul had two hits, both in the second. Dannhorn had three hits and scored once while Pitts added a pair of hits, an RBI and a run.

Mitchell had a two-run double in the bottom of the third, finishing the day 4 for 4 with two runs scored and the pair of RBIs. Vasak had a pair of hits and scored twice. Provost also had a two-hit game for the Cogs.

“We can’t get ourselves in such a hole to begin with so we don’t have to put so much pressure on ourselves toward the end of the game,” Swan said. “I think to see them fight back the way they did was really encouraging. I think if we we ended the game where we were in the fourth or fifth inning it would have been disappointing. I know we have the ability to battle back like that.”